Unter

Just because a location is in Karaköy doesn’t make it cool or hip. Unter is one of those places with no real edge to its existence. Over the last few years, I went to Unter twice. The first one was for my birthday and I was utterly displeased with the service and general atmosphere that I stopped going there. Couple of days ago I was invited by friends and decided to check it out. Nothing has changed.
You need to understand that the food quality is not the reason for this abysmal score. The food, albeit not extraordinary, is passable.
But the service, of my God, is very poor.
First of all, it’s a miracle if you can grab the attention of waitstaff. They are all busy doing stuff.
Second, they are slow. So if you order something you really need to plan ahead. Like salt, water, whatever.
Third they have their own way of serving food and it’s really not pleasant. You will understand much better if I tell the order of food/​beverage arrival to the table: we first have received the main courses. few minutes later we received the appetizers, and lastly beer and wine came mid meal! Come-​on.
I will not go there anytime soon

It´s a stylish and modern place in the hipster-​streets of Karaköy. Fresh beer from the tap, nice location and a lot of young people. The prices are a bit too high, but for a relaxed evening with some music it´s worth it.

This place is a little over-​rated. It’s got a cool design. Food is basic and too expensive for what it is. The only thing on the menu that was out of the ordinary was the pulled pork sandwich. I had the pulled pork and a side of fries. Both were good, although the sandwich was cold in the middle. Cocktails were upwards of 38−40TL, so I wasn’t about to make the commitment. There is a fantastic selection of imported beer, although also price-​y. The waitress was on the ‘too cool for school’ side, but I got to hand it to her as she was one of two people waiting on the entire restaurant.

I always stay at Conrad Hilton gör businessbut never pay fır breakfast at the hotel. I have my breakfast at this fine Café. Very cigar friendly.

Great place for Friday night! super cute place with grapevines hanging in the alley.
The duck confit was very good– highly recommend. The octopus salad was also delicious and refreshing if you’re looking for a meal on the lighter side. The jam n rose cocktail was phenomenal though a bit on the sweet side– I love me some whiskey and I love pineapple. Who knew they would taste so good together!

This restaurant was close to our hotel. One night my friend and I went out for a night drinks and dessert. When we got there all the tables were taken and they weren’t seating anyone else due to it being Saturday night they began to remove the tables as people got up. So we just hung out at the bar for a while and got a couple of drinks. The drinks were not cheap. It’s a trendy place so cocktails were around 38 Liras which comes out to around $ 13, NYC bar prices. The drinks were okay and we enjoyed the ambience of the night. It was very low key.
The next afternoon we returned for brunch. We really enjoyed the food here. It was a great change from the traditional breakfast we had been having. They have a great menu. I got the pancakes and my friend got the sliders. It was a great start to the day.

Tonight’s experience at Unter was nothing short of phenomenal. I am visiting my sister and her husband in Istanbul. We have had great food, but wanted a change in scenery and variety.
Sissy scouted some locations in Karakoy and the three of us meandered the streets to check out our top picks. The area is a hip area of town with neat little shops and many unique restaurants and stores. We came back to Unter, and it was a great decision.
The restaurant is small, but the large open windows make it feel airy and broad. Even though we were inside, it felt as though we were siting alongside the happening street. The ambiance from the neighborhood meshed smoothly with Unter. We enjoyed the music and took our time scoping out the menu.
We began our meal with olives and a cheese plate. We all gushed over the four delicious cheeses which ranged from a comte-​esque to a creamy soft cheese. The plate was sprinkled with fresh thyme which kicked up the flavors a notch. The olives were delish and had bits of lemon and garlic included. Our server also brought out bread and a flavorful spread that was tomato based with a peppery kick.
My brother in law and I ordered the same meal (grilled tenderloin) and my sister ordered the salmon. Our food come out quickly and was pristine. All dishes were served with mashed potatoes. The foreign pungent cheese atop of them went beautifully with the creaminess of the potatoes and our steaks. My sister’s salmon was cooked perfectly with crispy skin and tender fish. She also raved about the herbed zucchini salad that went with it.
We were stuffed. But not too stuffed for dessert. Due to some food allergies, we decided to order a slice of flourless chocolate cake. This was the second best decision of the night (after choosing Unter, of course). This was not just any old wheat tee dessert; this was THE DESSERT. We «ooohed» and «aahed.» We tasted and savored. Then I realized I forgot to take a picture of this pure dessert, so I got up to take a picture of the lovely cake itself. Perhaps the server saw the delight in our eyes, because almost as soon as we were done he placed another before our eyes. This kindness was gifted to us and was such a delight. The cake is the best flourless chocolate cake any of us had ever had. The texture was silky and fine and burst with flavor. The exterior had a nice crunch. The cake was so good that when we entered it was whole, and when we left there was only a slice or two left. And I promise we only ate two. And yes, I neglected to take a picture of the second slice as well.
This meal was the best I have enjoyed in quite a while. The atmosphere was grand and the food was well prepared and organized. The chefs and menu planners have a strong understanding of flavor profiles. Unter is a must-​visit restaurant, especially if you are in the area.

This place is a european style modern café. They serve brunch and dishes as you might recognize from western europe. I had a «3 mini burgers» and they were great. Some of the waiters were a bit busy with themselves though. Don’t go here if you look for something local and turkish. There are plenty of other places nearby where you will find an atmosphere like that.

The only thing working for this place is its location. It is located in the middle of the very up-​and-​coming Karakoy neighborhood.
Other than that, it is by no means a well-​run place.
1) Horrible service. By horrible, I mean, the staff don’t help you even though you call then, they off-​handedly answer any questions, they are very condescending and unbelievably rude. When we noted their terrible attitude, we were further schooled by the staff that it was not the case, and that we were imagining their rudeness. Although we were the only table at the place, 4 of the staff would not wait on us but chat in the corner for minutes and minutes. (Been hearing the same issues from other customers over and over, no wonder)
2) Overpriced, not worth the price if you are considering to frequent it.
3) Karabatak is right across the street, with much better service and larger seating area. Hands down the clear choice.
Overall, it is embarrassing that they are operating in the service industry… They should close up shop and give the location to someone who knows what they are doing — immediately.

We went to Unter because Baratak was closed and we’re happy it was! We had a nice breakfast in a design set. The person I was with said she had the best granola of her life! Also, as a crazy cat man, I can only enjoy being in a restaurant with a little kitten on my side.

Great food, great staff ! You shouldn’t miss ! Also try to go on the week days for their lunch menu, it’s traditionally turkish cuisine but amazing cooking you’ll be surprised how much you missed home food after all these junk food we have been forced to eat… But check can get sometimes expensive but worth it !

Berlin Vibe in Istanbul! It is a bit of a walk from the Galata tower, but I found it worth it. Nice café across the street to. Nice neighbor hood in general. Feels upcoming. Did not eat here but went for after dinner drinks.

Came here for a late Sunday brunch. We had the Turkish spread and salmon with scrambled eggs on a biscuit. Everything was delicious. Came to 77 tl service included so a bit on the pricier side but we felt it was worth it.